Cardio: either you love it or hate it. Most people have very strong feelings about cardio workouts.
Although many people loathe doing cardio workouts, cardio exercise provides numerous benefits for your body: lowers blood pressure, strengthens your heart and lungs, helps you sleep better and helps boost your mood.
Read moreTheraBand resistance bands are incredibly convenient because they can be thrown into a purse, suitcase or gym bag. They take up little to no room, yet depending on the resistance that you choose, they can be very challenging.
Read moreStarting an exercise program or routine can be overwhelming. There are so many options and sometimes a very unclear path to follow. For years I’ve been helping clients and friends start and continue their exercise programs. It doesn’t have to be complicated – just follow these four EASY steps.
Step 1:
Decide what’s feasible for you to do. If it’s a 10-minute walk, three times a week – that’s great! Pick something you can be successful at. Don’t go from the couch to committing to working out for 60 minutes, five days a week. That’s probably not sustainable long term. You can work up to that type of a goal, but your body is probably not ready for that! Some ideas of activities include: 10-minute walk, 30-minute class, 20 minutes of bodyweight exercises, 15 minutes of stretching, 20 minutes of swimming or water walking, walking the stairs at work for 10 minutes or a 15-minute online workout video.
Read moreAfter a long winter, I’m always anxious for warmer weather and the opportunity to spend more time outside. Now is the ideal time to start ramping up your activity levels, so you are ready for those summer hikes, bike rides, marathon yard work sessions and trips to the pool.
As with any change in your fitness routine, start small. Don’t go from the couch to a 60-minute spinning session. Start with 20 or 30-minute workout sessions a few times a week. These sessions might be walks around the neighborhood or 30-minute strength training classes. Just make sure you aren’t asking too much of your body the first day/week.
Read moreDuring our recent vacation, my son started reading “choose your adventure” books. He could choose what path he wanted the story to take. (If the robot gets blown up, turn to page 8, but if you want the robot to battle other machines, turn to page 12.)
So many of my clients groan when a certain workout movement is prescribed. I hear endless, “Anything but this movement” comments. So, I decided to use my son’s book as inspiration for a workout.
I created a “Choose Your Workout” for them to do. They had a choice – burpees or plank walkouts, squats or lunges, push-ups or triceps dips, etc.
Read moreWe rely heavily on our knees in our day-to-day activities, but often our exercise choices abuse them. If you have sore or injured knees, you can still work out – I promise! The important thing is to be aware of what can impact your knees while working out and avoid these activities.
One movement that can have an impact on the health of your knees is how you stand when you lift weights. If you lock out your knees while lifting weights, you are increasing the risk of injuring your knees.
Read moreSpring Break has come and gone, and I’m not ready to get back to the real world! We were fortunate enough to be able to get away, and I’m still enjoying the relaxed routine we fell into during vacation.
Whenever I’m on vacation, I like the challenge of coming up with a small-space, full-body workout. Hotel rooms, dorm rooms or even apartments can make it challenging to work out. This is a workout I created this past week, and I really liked it. It was challenging enough that I felt like I was getting a good workout, but I was able to do it in a small area.
Read moreMany of us want to banish that fat on the back of our arms that we not-so-lovingly refer to as bat wings, lunch lady arms or turkey wings. As a personal trainer, triceps are the muscle group that I hear the most complaints about. Everyone wants toned, ripped triceps muscles.
Triceps do so much more than you realize. They work in coordination with other muscles to perform tasks like pushing a door shut or doing a push-up. They are also used in smaller scale movements such as writing. While the biceps bend your elbow, the triceps help extend your elbow. Triceps also make your upper body stronger, which means you can throw a ball or shoot a basketball with more force.
Read moreWe’ve had a rough winter in Kansas this year. Since Jan. 9, our school district has had at least five snow days. One snow day – let alone five – is not a common occurrence. There have been many days where the weather was too bad to go outside for a run or venture to the pool. This workout is for those days when you are trapped at home and can’t make it to the gym. It’s a quick workout that will get your heart rate up. Give it a try!
Read moreToning and shrinking the belly area is a hot topic among my clients. It seems like everyone wants to have firmer, more defined abs. I get it - we all want to have that envy-inducing six-pack!
You will often here fitness professionals joke that a six-pack is made in the kitchen. They are absolutely right! What you eat has the biggest impact on the size of your belly. You can do 100 crunches a day and still not see any progress. You might strengthen your core, but if you have fat on top of your muscles, it will be hard to see the definition.
Read moreThis winter has been brutal. Lots of snow and ice. It’s easy to skip your workout – no one wants to risk his or her life in order to squeeze in a trip to the gym! If you are stuck at home but really want to work out, check out some of my favorite at-home workouts included below. They are bodyweight workouts that require no equipment! Click on the image to link to more detailed instructions for the various movements.
Read moreAs a trainer, if I could have one “wish” come true, it would be for more people to just get moving. I’m not talking about taking on a huge, new workout regimen or trying the latest fitness craze. I want people who haven’t had the time to start exercising or have struggled to get back into the habit of exercising to just move. For 5-10 minutes. That’s it.
The logistics of starting an exercise program can be daunting – where to do it, how to do it and when to find the time to do it. My goal for February is to set small, five-minute goals that are manageable and logistically doable.
So, here is my challenge for this week: five minutes of activity, three times a week. You pick the days…just get moving for three days. Challenge a friend or spouse to join you.
Read moreIn December, I had an insane amount of continuing education credits to finish because I had put the classes off…for two years. One of the classes I took was about exercise and kids. I was reminded that kids need a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity a day. While taking the class, I started to worry that my son wasn’t getting enough activity each day. As a result, I’ve been trying to focus on ensuring that he gets at least 30 - 60 minutes of activity each day.
Much to my son’s dismay, I’ve started making him exercise with me in my gym. Knowing he wasn’t crazy about the idea, I’ve been trying to come up with workouts that are fun and distracting. We just want to burn some energy! This is an alphabet workout we did recently, and it was a success! I spelled out “Happy Valentine’s Day, Finn.” He had to do the exercises associated with each letter!
Read moreI love pizza. I used to avoid eating it because I have no restraint – I can eat an entire pizza without thinking twice about it. This Cooking Light recipe was the best discovery for me; a healthy pizza option that satiates my cravings. I follow the recommended portion sizes, and although I was initially skeptical about how filling one piece would be, I have been pleasantly surprised. This is a filling, tasty treat!
Read moreAlthough we covet and drool over an impressive set of abdominal muscles, we often overlook how much support those muscles provide in our bodies! Your core (abdominal muscles, back muscles, pelvic core muscles and diaphragm) is the support system for a multitude of movements: bending forward, straightening up to standing, bending back, bending to the side, twisting your torso as well as stabilizing your spine.
When we think about working our core, we often just focus on abdominal movements, but we need to be working our backs and strengthening our pelvic core muscles, too! Many people suffer from lower back pain, and strengthening your core is a great way to help combat back tightness and weakness.
Read moreFor years I’ve heard that if you are active, you are less likely to get sick. Apparently, there is some truth to that statement. A recent ACSM journal article revealed that an active lifestyle could help combat the effects of a cold.
Read moreI’m a personal trainer, and even I have to scramble to fit in my workouts on some days. No matter how well I organize my week, I’m often struggling to squeeze in a quick workout. I create 20-minute workouts all of the time, yet I always need more.
Today was one of those days. I wanted a full-body workout, but I didn’t want to be tied to a specific piece of equipment. As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) workouts are my go-to format on days like these. I can push myself a little harder because I’m competing against the clock, and I know I’m going to be done in 20 minutes. It’s a win-win!
Read moreI have a love/hate relationship with the month of January. I love the idea of a fresh start for the new year, but I dislike that the month also brings that annual pressure to lose weight and get in shape. I’m always in favor of trying to incorporate more exercise and activity into my life, but I think the pressure and expectations of resolutions and big goals set us up for failure. Most people who make big, sweeping changes rarely maintain their new “normal” for a lifetime. It usually requires an insane commitment that most people can’t sustain.
Read moreStrength training gets a bad reputation. We often think it has to be this lengthy, intense process that takes hours to complete. That’s not the case at all – just a few minutes can have an impact! We also associate resistance training with the gym, but you can easily do a full-body workout from home.
I’m including a workout that you can do with minimal equipment. Grab a set of dumbbells, and you are good to go.
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